Internal-combustion engine.



W. B. OOWLES.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, 1910.

1,053,013. I Pate ed Feb.11,1913.

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W. B. COWLES.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

, 3 APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7. 1910. 1,053,01 3, Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

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man STATES" PATENT omen WILLIAM B. cowrins, or CLEVELAND,-OHIO.-

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

To all whom it'may' co'ncemr I Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. COWLES, a cit zen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the' county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines; and I-- do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will I enable others Skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to internal combustion engines ofthe compression type and it is especially intended to provide a small, simple and efficient engine adapted for use with automobiles or motor boats,

while itis applicable to stationary and mavrine engines oflarge size.

In those engines commonly in use at the present day, the ignition is accomplished by an electric spark with the concomitant battery or dynamo and other parts, while the same result is also accomplished by maintaining alconstant flame.

25 According to my presentinvention I vaccomplish the ignition by highly-and rapidly compressing a small part of the explosive charge, thus doing away with the necessity .jior' the attachments just referred to.

invention has other important fea- "tures which will behereinafter'more fully. described and claimed.

vReference is had to the accompanying drawings in which the same parts are indi- -ca-ted by the same letters throughout the "several views I F igu-re l shows a central vertical section throughthe apparatus at the end of the stroke when both the exhaust and inlet 4t pogt's are open and the supply of explosive gases is being fed tothe compression chambertexpelling spent gases of the previous explosion. 'Fig. 2 shows a similarview at the other end of the stroke, parts being shown '45 in elevation. Fig. 3 is a detailview showing the adjustablefiring plug for controlling the firmg port, and Fig. 4 is a section along the line H of Fig 3 andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

A :represents' the casing inclosing the crank, which casing also serves as a receiver formtheexplosive mixture. which enters Jthrough the inlet'. a from. the pipe P, past a ohe'c lvalve ponsisting of the ball P and i spring P B represen'ts the crank shaft, C the crank,

v Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December 7, 1910. Serial No. 596,157.

D theconnecting rod andE the piston body. This piston body includes three "separate cylindrical pistons, the main or operating piston E, firing or igniting piston E and Patente'd Feb. 11.1913;

the cut-ofi piston E Packing rings 6, e

and e areprovided on the pistons Eand E respectively. These pistons are. hollow with an axial passage therethrough, as.

shown most clearly in Fig. 1. The piston E 'is preferably provided with a hollow bushing e which serves to bind the packing rings e? in'place and also serves as an inlet port, for the passage of the explosive mix ture to the compression chamber.

I {The shell F is provided with an elongated cylindrical'chamber F, partly occupiedby the piston body but when the piston body is att-he limit of its stroke there is still a" contracted compression chamber between the surfaces F and E, as shown in Fig.2. Beyond thiscylindrica'l chamber F is a'short cylindrical chamber F 2 for the firing piston,

and above this is a cylindrical chamber F for the cut-off pistonE The top of this shell is closed in any suitable way as by the cap f and the tap bolts j.

G represents a bushing held in the casing F by means of the bolt g" and by the outer bushing G. Projecting 'through these bushings is the stem k of the firing plug H, which plugis perforated as at it, this stem h passing through suitable packing h and preferably terminating in a tail k for convenience in turning with a lever. The

bushing G is provided with a port 9 which registers with the port f through the shell into the compression chamber and which registers'in whole or in part with the port it in the firing plug H. It will be seen that passage from the firing cylinder F to the whole or in part, and thus the minimum cross section of thefiring port may be varied to suit the requirements of the engine.

The shell is provided with exhaust ports f opening intoithe exhaust passage F and at the bottom of this exhaust passage a drain plug I is preferably provided. Extending through and around the shell are water'cooling passages K, K, I and K the water heingffed through the "inlet 71: and circulating in the usual well known way. Any' suitable form of water jacket may be used if desired, and L do not claim this as a part of my present invention.

.if the firing plug be turned slightly, the

'or scavenged bya direct rush of the,

Theop'eration is as follows :Suppose the apparatus-to be in the position shown in Fig. 2 and the mixture-in the compression chamber be exploded, this will force the piston body downward until the exhaust ports are open and the spent gases will rush through said ports and escape. Following quickly the fall of pressure and the escape of spent gases, the cut-off piston IE? will pass clear of the cylinder F permitting the flow,

of unexploded mixture into the compression chamber; this will drive out-before it the residue of spent gases; and about the time until it reaches the ignition temperature when there will bean'explosion, and the flame or heated gases will pass through the firing port and entering the compression chamber will explode the compressed gases in said chamber, thus renewing the cycle of operations.

It will be noted that the piston body E is substantially in the shape of a bottle open at the top and bottom, with a curved portion E at the base of the neck E of \the bottle, the cylinder F above which curved portion constitutes the firing piston. The neck portion E of the bottle shaped piston body, which I have called the cut-ofi piston, serves not only as a cut-off for the explosive mixture during the compression period, but also as the inner wall of the compression chamber after the explosion has taken place, effectually preventing the return back to the interior of the piston of any of the hot gases produced by the explosion, until after the exhaust ports are wide open, when the excess of pressure in the receiver will tend to blow the expanded and greatly cooled spent gases out through said ports. It will be noted that there will be a great rush of the exploded gases to escape out through the exhaust ports as soon as these 'ports begin to open, and that the'small quantityof expanded and comparatively cool spent gases left in the compression chamber willbe the mcommg explosive m1x-' blown out by ture.

Thus I provide. an internal combustion engine in which the' cylinder, compression chamber, and ports are completely cleared gases after explosion and while charging the compression chamber. There are no pocketsto retain and no eddies formed tending to retam solld or gaseous residue inside the cylmder. The walls of the compression chamber are cooled not only by the water jacket but also by the flow of the incoming explosive gases, which cool on expanding, and passing through the cut-off piston keep the temperature below the i'gnition point when the inlet port is open. It

will therefore be evident that it will be impossible with this engine to accidentally ignite the charge in the compression chamber while the inlet port is open; and thus the serious difficulty, known. as back-firing, common to many of the gasolene motors now in use, is wholly' obviated. It will be further noted that the packing rings 6 near the end of the cut-off piston-E and the packing rings 6 and e on the main piston E', serve not only to guide and steady the whole piston body, and incidentally the fir-.

ing piston E but also render it possible to dispense with packing rings on said firing piston. Packing rings, however, may be provided for it if desired.

It will be obvious that various modifications may be made in the hereindescribed apparatus which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An internal combustion engine of the compression type comprising a receiver for the explosive mixture, a hollow shell closed at one end and opening at the other into said receiver, said shell being provided with a series of stepped cylindrical chambers, and

decreasing in diameter away from said re- 7 ceiver, a hollow piston body perforatedaxially and provided with a series of cylindrical pistons registering with said chambers, respectively, and a firing portconnecting the outer end of one of said reduced cylinders with the compression chamber, substantially as described.

2. An internal combustion engine of the compression type comprising a receiver for the explosive mixture, a hollow shellclosed atone end and opening at the other into said receiver, said shell being provided with a series of stepped-cylindrical chambers decreasing in diameter away from said receiver, ahollow piston body perforated axially and provided with a series of cylindrical pistons registering ,with said chambers, respe'ct1vely, and a, firing port connectmg the outer end of one of said reduced cylinders with the. compression chamber with means for adjusting the cross-section of said firing. port, substantially as described.

3. An internal combustion engineof the comprcssion type comprising a piston rod, a hollow piston body open at both ends and connected to said rod, said piston body havton ofless diameter the-neither of said pistons connected to said firing piston, means 5, for supplyingthe explosive mixture: to the for the'main piston and for the compression interior of said hollow piston body, and a shell provided with a'cylindrical chamber chamber, with a short cylindrical firing chamber registering with the firing piston toward the end of'its stroke, with a longercylindrical chamber registering with and engaging said cut ofli' piston during the major portion of its stroke, and wit-h a firing port connecting said lfiring chamber, and said compression chamber, substantially as described.

4. An internal combustion engine of the compression type comprising a piston rod, a hollow piston bodyopen at both ends and connected to said rod, said piston body having a main piston, a firing piston of'less diameter connected thereto, and a cut off piston of less diameter than either of said pistons connected to said firing piston, means for supplying the explosive mixture to the interior of said hollow piston body, and a shell provided with a cylindrical chamber for the main piston and for the compression chamber, with a short cylindrical firing chamber registering with the firing piston toward the end of its stroke, with a longer cylindrical chamber registering with and engaging said cut off piston during the major portion of its stroke, and with a firing port connecting said firing chamber, and said compression chamber, with means for varying'the minimum cross-section of said firing port, substantially as described.

5. An internal combustion engine of the compression type comprising a piston rod, a hollow piston body open at both ends and connected to said rod, said piston body having a main piston, a firing piston of less di ameter connected thereto, and a cut ofl piston of less diameter than either of said pistons connected to said firing piston, means for supplying the GXPlOSlVe mlxture' to the inte- Y rior of said hollow piston body, and a shell provided with a cylindrical chamber for the main piston and for the compression chamber, with a short cylindrical firing chamber registering with the firing piston toward the end of its stroke, with a longer cylindrical chamber registering with and engaging said cut 'off piston during. the major portion of its stroke,-and with a firing port connect-L ing said firing chamber, and said compression chamber, with a. rotatable firingplug provided with a passage therethroughnormally registering with said firing port but adapted to throttle down said firing port,

' substantially as described.

6. An internal combustion engine of the compression type comprising a receiver for substantially as described. i,

9. Am internal-combustion engine of tlte' compression type comprising a piston trod,

the explosive mixture, a hollow shell closed at one end and opening at th'eother into'said receiver, said shell being provided with a series of stepped cylindrical chambers, a'nd decreasing in diameter away from said" receiver, a: hollow piston body perforated axi ally and provided with a series of cylindrical pistons registering with said chambers,

respectively, a firing port connecting j'the outer end of one of said reduced cylinders with the compression chamber, and means for cooling the outer walls of said-compres-j sion chamber, substantially as describ'ed.

7. An internal combustion-engine of the J compression type comprising a receiver for the explosive mixture, a hollow shell ielusea atone end and opening at the othei iiitti said receiver, said shell being provided with a series of steppedcylindrical chambers de creasing in diameter away from said receiver, a hollow piston body perforated axially and provided with a series of cylindri calpist-ons registering with said chambers,

respectively, a firing port connectin'g'j'tlie outer end of oneof said reduced cylinders with the compression chamber with means for adjusting the cross-section'of said firing port,'and means for cooling the outer walls of said compression chamber, substantially as described. I 1 I 1 8. An internal combustion "engine of: the compression type comprising a piston -rod, a hollow piston body open at both'ends and connected to said rod, said piston body-haw ing a main piston, a firing piston of less diameter connected thereto, anda cut off piston of less diameter than either of said pis-' tons connected to said firing piston, meansfor supplying the explosivemixture to the interior of said hollow piston body, and a shell provided with a cylindrical chamber for the main piston-and for the compression chamber, With a shortcylindrical firing chamber registering with the firing piston toward the end'of its stroke, with a longer cylindrical chamber registering-with and engaging said out oft piston during the major portion of its -stroke,'with,a firing-port connecting said firing chamber, and vsaidcompressio-n chamber, and means for cooling the outer walls of said compression chamber,

shell provided with a cylindrical chamber for vthe main piston and for theicompression chamber, ,with a short cylindrical firing chamber registering with the firing piston ifOD'afrd the end of its stroke, with a longer cylindrical chamber registering with and engaging said cut oil piston during the major portion of its stroke, with a firing port connecting said tiringchamber, and said compression chamber, with means foryarying the minimum cross-section of said firing port, and meansfor cooling the outer walls of said compression chamber, substantially as described. I

, 10. An mternalcombustion engineof the compression type comprising a piston rod, a hollow piston body open at both ends and connected to said rod,said piston body having a main piston, a firing piston of less diameter connected thereto, and a cut off piston of less diameter than either of said pistons connected to ,said firing piston, means for supplying the explosive mixture to the interior of said hollow piston body, and a shell provided with a cylindrical chamber for the main piston and for the compression chamber, with a short cylindrical firing chamber registering with the firing piston toward the end of its stroke, with a longer cylindrical chamber registering with and en- "hers, and decreasing in diameter away from gaging said out oif piston during the major portion of its stroke, with a firing portconnecting said firing chamber, and said compression chamber, with a rotatable firing plug provided with a passage therethrough normally registering with said .firing port but adapted to throttle down said firing port, and means for cooling the outer walls of said compression chamber, substantially as described.

11. A two cycle internalcombustion engine of the compression type comprising a .crank shaft and crank, a connecting rod, a receiver for the explosive mlxture inclosingsaid crank shaft'and crank, a hollow shell closed at one end-and opening at the other into said receiver, said shell being-provided with a series of stepped cylindrical chamsaid receiver, a hollow piston body perforated axially and provided with a series of cylindrical pistons registering with said chambers, respectively, said piston body being connected to said connecting rod, and a firing-port connecting the outer end of one of said reduced cylinders with the compression chamber, substantially, as described.

-12. A two cycle internal combustion engine of the compression type comprising a crank shaft and crank, a connecting rod, a receiverfor the explosive mixture inclos- "ing said crank shaftand crank, a hollow shell closed at one end and opening at the other into said receiver, said shell being provided with a series of stepped cylindrical'chambers decreasin in diameter away from said receiver, a iollow piston body perforated axially and provided with 'ase-,

end of one of said reduced cylinders with the compression chamber with means for adjusting the cross-section of said firing. port, substantially as described.

13. A two cycle internal combustion engine of the compression type comprising a crank shaft and crank, aconnecting rod, a receiver for the explosive mixture inclosing said crank shaft and crank, a' hollow shell closedat one end and opening at the other into said receiver, said shell being provided with a series of stepped cylindrical c amber's, and decreasing in diameter awayfrom said receiver, a hollow bottle shaped piston body perforated axially and provided wit-ha series of cylindrical pistons registeringwith said chambers, respectively, said piston body being connected to said connecting rod, a-- firing port connecting the outer end of one of. said reduced cylinders with the compression chamber, and means for cooling the outer walls of said compression chamber, substantially as described.

-1 4. A two cycle internal combustion engine of the compression type comprising a crank shaft and crank, a connecting rod,-.a 5

receiver for the explosive mixture inclosing said crank shaft and crank, a hollow shell closed at one end and opening at the other into said receiver, said shell being provided with a series of stepped cylindrical chambers decreasing in diameter away from-said receiver, a hollow bottleishaped piston body perforated axially and provided with a series of cylindrical pistons registering with said'chambers, respectively, said piston body being connected to said connecting rod, a firing port connecting the outer end of one of said reduced cylinders with the compression chamber with means for adjusting the cross-section of said" firing port, and meansiiio for cooling the outer walls of said compression chamber, substantially as. described.

15. In an internal combustion engine of the compression type, the combination with a main cylinder and piston andacompression chamber, of a firing cylinder and piston adapted to cut oft and compressto the ignition point a small portion ofthe explosive charge, and a firing portkconnecting said firing cylinder with said compression cham 12o her With means for varying the minimum cross sect-ion of saidfi'ring port,substantially as described l j 16. In an internalcombustion engine of the compression type, the combination with a main cylinder and piston and a compression chamber, of a firing cylinder and piston adapted to cut oil and compress to the ignition point a small. portion of the explosive charge, a firing port connecting said firing 13o cylinder with said compression chamber with means for varylngthe mlmmum cross section of said firing port, said means comprising a firing-port in the walls of said cylmder, and a firing plug having a port iadaptedto register in. whole or in part with said 'firingport, substantially as described.

- 17. .An internal combustion engine of the compression type comprising a piston rod, a hollow piston body open at both ends and connected to said rod, .said piston body having a main piston, a firing piston. of less diameter connected thereto, and a cut ofi piston of less diameter than either of said pistons connected to said firing piston,

' means for supplying the explosive mixture to the interior of said hollow piston body,

.and a shell provided with a cylindrical chamberfor the main chamber for the main piston and for the compression chamber, with a short cylindri- -cal firing chamber registering with the firing' piston toward the end "of its stroke, and with 'a longer cylindrical chamber registering with and engaging said out ofl piston durin the major portion of its stroke, substantia ly'as described.

18. An internal combustion engine of the [compression type comprising a piston rod,

a hollow piston body open at both ends and connected to said rod, said piston body having a main piston, a firing. piston of less diameter connected thereto, and a cut ofi piston of- 'less diameter than either of said pistons connected -to said firing piston,

means for supplying the explosive mixture to the interior of said hollow piston body, and a shell provided with a cylindrical piston and for the compression chamber, said shell having exfhaustlports opening from said 'main cyling amain piston, a firingpiston of less diameter connected thereto, and a cut off piston of less diameter than either of said pistons connected to said firing piston, means for supplying the explosive mixture to the interior of said hollow piston body,

.and a shell provided with a cylindrical chamber for the main piston and tor the compression chamber, said shell having exhaust ports opening from said main cylinder near the inner end thereof, the'said shell being-also provided with a short cylindrical firing chamber registering with the firing piston toward the end of its stroke, and with a longer cylindrical chamber registering with and engaging said cut 011' piston during the major portion of its stroke, the said shell being provided with a firing port con-' necting said firing chamber, and said .compression chamber, substantially as described. v

y In testimony whereof, I aflix my signa- .ture, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM B COWLES.

lVitnesses:

FREDK. WV. THOMAS, M. PENNINGTON. 

